Six Molise officials probed for electoral tampering

28/11/2016

Thirty fake signatures in 2013 gubernatorial election

Campobasso, November 28 - Prosecutors in the Molise
city of Campobasso said Monday they wrapped up an electoral
tampering investigation against six local public officials on
suspicion of falsely authenticating 30 citizen signatures in
support of various candidacies in 2013 gubernatorial elections.
They requested indictments against Campobasso City Council
President Michele Durante and Santa Croce di Magliano Mayor
Donato D'Ambrosio.
The other four suspects were notified of the end of the
investigation, in Italy usually a prelude to indictment. They
were named as Campobasso city cabinet member Salvatore
Colagiovanni and mayors Luciano Di Biase (Mirabello Sannitico),
Antonio Cerio (Ferrazzano) and Franco Antenucci (Roccavivara).
Investigators say nine of the fake signatures were placed on
Democrats for Molise and Fare Molise civic lists, both in
support of gubernatorial candidate Massimo Romano, who hails
from the centrist, anti-corruption Italy of Values (IdV) party.
Another four were used on a list called Rialzati Molise (Get
Up Molise), one appeared on a Left, Ecology and Freedom (SEL)
party list and another on a center-left Democratic Party (PD)
list, all of which backed current center-left Governor Paolo
Frattura).
Five went on a list called The Right and another five were
used on a list called Great South, both backing center-right
gubernatorial candidate Michele Iorio.
A further five faked signatures were used on a list called
Samnite Warrior, which didn't make it into the electoral the
race.